Cleaner cleaning

Before I had kids, I greatly reduced the amount of toxic cleaning products that I used. After kids, it has become even more important to me to use natural cleaners. Those rugrats spend a lot of time rolling around on the floor, licking everything, and wearing numerous outfits daily! I definitely do not want my kids inhaling chemicals, ingesting bleach, or getting rashes from the allergens found in many detergents. I decided to share a sampling of the things I use now.

Surface cleaning

I have definitely tried the vinegar and water thing, but my husband hates the smell. I can’t even mask the vinegar with nice smelling essential oils. I have been making my own cleaner with On Guard essential oil and Pink Solution (a coconut based cleaner made here in North Vancouver). In a large glass spray bottle, I combine 1 tbsp of Pink Solution, 15 drops of On Guard, and top up with boiled water. This all-purpose cleaner is amazing for my kitchen and bathroom. The On Guard essential oil blend is amazing for killing bacteria on surfaces! Recently, the On Guard Cleaner Concentrate was made available to order from Canada. One bottle of the concentrate makes 18 large spray bottles at under $2 per bottle. Yes please! This is my new favourite.

Wood floors

I love this simple solution: Lemon essential oil and water. A couple of drops of Lemon oil in water with a microfibre cloth on my old Swiffer mop and Voila! Shiny, delicious smelling floors!

Bathrooms

I was super excited when I discovered the scrubbing power of a baking soda paste. For my bathtub, I use a cup of baking soda, a tbsp of of castile soap, and Lemon essential oil. Wet the mixture with a bit of water and it makes an awesome paste. I could not believe how clean my tub was after using this!

Toilets are gross but very important. My toilet bowl recipe is not an exact science, I like to free style this one. I start with Tea Tree essential oil (about 5 drops), top with baking soda (a cup maybe?) and finish with vinegar. The baking soda and vinegar make a fizz and I use my toilet brush to give it a good scrub.

Laundry

I have yet to make my own detergent, but it’s on my list of things to do. In the meantime, I use unscented natural laundry detergents that are rated for cloth diapering. When I want my clothes to smell nice, I add a few drops of essential oils on my wool dryer balls. I choose my flavours of the day, but they include Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, On Guard, and Purify. Check out my post on energy efficient laundry here!

Want to learn more about the essential oils that I use? Check out this website.